Manipulatable cryogenic container



March 31, 1970 R. c. 'WOERNER ETAL 3,

MANIPULATABLE CRYOGENIC CONTAINER Filed Jan. 18, 1968 s m m E V mRAlPA/JI HSI/k/O/PT/J Je Jena/Aka c. n/aaeA/zp BY United States Patent3,503,536 MANIPULATABLE CRYOGENIC CONTAINER Richard C. Woerner, ScotchPlains, N.J., and- Ralph S.

Ashworth, Jr., South Euclid, Ohio; said Woerner assignor to AirReduction Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of NewYork, and said Ashworth assignor to Ryan Industries, Inc., a corporationof Delaware Filed Jan. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 698,788 Int. Cl. B65d 25/00US. Cl. 220--85 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A manipulatablecryogenic container having an annular ring rigidly secured to the top ofthe container and surrounding the top end valving and conduit apparatusto protect it from being struck and to provide a hand grip formanipulating the container as by tilt rolling.

This invention relates generally to hand manipulatable tank-likecontainers for cryogenic fluids and the like and more particularly to aprotective structure for facilitating the manipulation of suchcontainers.

Heretofore, it has been difiicult for a workman to manipulate by handrelatively small tank-like cryogenic containers, i.e., those havingcapacities of from 40- to 80 gallons and weighing from 600 to 1200pounds. Generally, such cryogenic tanks take the form of elongatedcylinders having various apparatus such as valves and fittingsprotruding from the uppermost end. Because of its location thisapparatus is suspectible to being struck or otherwise damaged duringhandling and, therefore, must be adequately protected.

The shape and weight of these tanks also makes it difficult for anunassisted workman to manipulate them safely by hand. Therefore, whenmoving a tank of this type there is a natural tendency to grasp aportion of the protruding apparatus in order to obtain a good hand holdon the tank. This handling procedure is both inefiicient and dangerousfor it is cumbersome to move a tank any distance and the valves andfittings may be overstressed and damaged.

To overcome these disadvantages, it has been proposed to provide anupward extension corresponding to the cylindrical sides of the tankwhich serves as both a protector for the protruding apparatus as well asa hand hold for manipulating the tank. However, such prior artstructures have not been wholly satisfactory when applied to cryogeniccontainers inasmuch as they tend to restrict access from the sides tothe valving and conduits at the top and do not provide an adequategripping means for handling the tanks.

The present invention overcomes the above disadvantages by permanentlyand rigidly securing a continuous annular guard ring to the top endportion of the tank which is also provided with a bottom end constitutedfor free tilt rolling. The ring surrounds the top end apparatus in sucha manner as to efiectively protect it, yet is spaced far enough abovethe tank to permit easy access to the apparatus from the sides. Thisarrangement permits a workman to grip the ring in both hands andeifectively tilt roll the tank to transport it. Also, the outer diameterof the ring is such that the tank can be placed next to similar tanks,walls, or other objects without the ring interfering with the placementof the tank or injuring the workmans hands.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide animproved manipulating means for a cryogenic tank or the like.

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Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedprotective apparatus for a cryogenic tank or the like.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will readilybecome apparent upon an examination of the drawings and the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cryogenic tank made in accordancewith the present invention tilted up on one edge for tilt rolling;

FIGURE 2 is a partial cross sectional view of the bottom end of thetank;

FIGURE 3 is a partial elevational view showing the guard ring at the topend of the tank;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the tank; and,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a guard ring support bracket.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, FIGURE 1 shows a verticallystorable tank or container, indicated generally at 10, for cryogenicfluids or the l ke. The illustrated container is of the Dewar type andcomprises a vacuum tight cylindrical outer vessel 12 in which a smallervacuum tight cylindrical inner vessel 16, FIGURE 2, is suspended by asuitable suspension system (not shown). The inner vessel 16 is suspendedwithin the outer vessel 12 in such a manner that the two vessels areseparated from each other by an insulating space 18. The space 18 isevacuated and may be either partially or wholly filled with a suitableinsulating material (not shown).

As shown in FIGURE 2, the bottonrend of the outer vessel 12 comprises arounded convex portion 14. The bottom end of the outer vessel 12 isprovided with a base in the form of a cylindrical skirt portion 20having a planar annular bottom edge 21. The bottom edge 21 may besubstantially the same diameter as the cylindrical portion of the outervessel 12 and will be seen to be constituted for free tilt rolling ofthe tank, as well as stable support thereof when the tank is upright.

The upper end of the outer vessel comprises a rounded convex portion 13from which protrude a plurality of valves, gauges and fluid conduits,generally indicated by the top end apparatus 25. The apparatus 25 isconnected to the inner vessel for the purpose of charging anddischarging the inner vessel with cryogenic fluid. The apparatus 25 isexposed and susceptible to being struck or otherwise damaged during thenormal handling of the container.

Relatively small cryogenic containers of this type, i.e., those withcapacities ranging from 40 to gallons and weighing from 600 to 1200pounds are normally manipulated by grasping the upper end of thecontainer and manhandling it for short distances. In so handling thesecontainers, there is a natural tendency to utilize a portion of theapparatus 25 as a hand hold, however, the apparatus 25 is of such anature that it does not provide the best hand hold when the container ismoving and it is easy for a workman to either lose control of thecontainer or to over stress and damage a connection between theapparatus 25 and the container or damage some part of the apparatus.

To protect the apparatus 25 and to provide relatively easy handling andcontinuous gripping means at the uppermost end of the container 10, acontinuous annular guard ring 30 surrounds the apparatus 25. The ring 30is spaced above the top end 13 and rigidly secured to the container by apair of opposed U-shaped support brackets 33 rigidly and permanentlysecured to the end portion 13. Since only two relatively small brackets33 are required to support the ring 30, the apparatus 25 is easilyaccessible from the sides yet is sufficientlysurrounded by the ring 30so as to be protected from being struck from the side.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, it will be seen that the outer diameter ofring 30 is substantially equal to but preferably slightly less than theoutside diameter of the cylindrical portion of vessel 12. Thisrelationship between the outer diameters permits a workman to obtainsufiicient leverage on the container by gripping the ring in both handsand twisting to start it rolling and keep it rolling while it is beingmoved. The bottom end skirt portion allows tilt rolling in coaction withthe annular ring and yet provides stability when the vessel is upright.

Since the ring 30 is no larger than the outside diameter of the outervessel 12, the ring does not interfere when the container is placedclose to similar ones in a con fined area such as a cart, loading dock,or truck. As a safety measure the outer diameter of the ring 30 may beslightly less than the outside diameter of the outer vessel 12 toprovide a space between the ring and any adjacent object will minimizethe likelihood of a workmans fingers being crushed whenever thecontainer is placed next to a wall or similar containers.

In the illustrated embodiment each of the support brackets 33 is formedfrom a U-shaped channel member having a pair of leg portions 34connected by a web or base portion 35. As shown in FIGURE 5, each legportion 34 is cut out along its bottom edge at 36 to conform to thecontour of the rounded end portion 13, and along its top edge at 37 toreceive the ring 30. The web or base portion of each channel is also cutout at 38 to provide a convenient opening through the web for thepurpose of lifting the container with overhead cranes, etc. and alsoattaching to a two wheel handtruck locking mechanism.

Each bracket 33 is permanently secured to the top of the outer vessel 12as by welding at 40 and to the ring 30 as by welding at 44 along the cutout 37 and at 45 along the top end edge of the web 35. When brackets 3340 are mounted on the outer vessel 12, the outer sides of the legportions 34 form a pair of closely annularly spaced projections 41extending slightly beyond the outer diameter of the cylindrical portionof the outer vessel 12.

The invention is not restricted to the slavish imitation of each andevery one of the details described above which have been setforth'merely by way of example. Obviously, devices may be provided whichchange, eliminate or add certain specific structural details withoutdeparting from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A manipulatable container for cryogenic fluids and the like includingtank structure of generally cylindrical shape having a bottom end and atop end, and valving and fluid conduit structure fixed externally on thetank top and including both structure located centrally on the tank topand structure located non-centrally on the tank top, characterized bythe provision both of a bottom end constituted for free tilt rolling anda top end having a protective manipulation ring forming an annulargripping handle permanently and fixedly spaced above the tank end andabove at least all of the said valving and fluid conduit structure thatis located noncentrally on the tank top, said ring thereby being inannularly surrounding and protecting relation with said structure, saidring having an outside diameter the same as or only slightly smallerthan the outside diameter of the tank, said ring being secured to saidtop tank end by a pair of substantially U-shaped brackets mounted onopposite sides of said tank, each of said brackets having a web portionwith a hole therethrough to facilitate handling of the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,796,940 6/ 1957 Somers.2,964,054 12/ 1960 Weatherhead. 3,050,207 8/ 1962 Oxenham 220-69 FOREIGNPATENTS 187,103 10/1956 Austria. 190,911 7/1957 Austria.

RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R. 22069, 94

